Thermohaline Stratification of the Indonesian Seas: Model and Observations*

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Abstract
The Indonesian Throughflow, weaving through complex topography, drawing water from near the division of the North Pacific and South Pacific water mass fields, represents a severe challenge to modeling efforts. Thermohaline observations within the Indonesian seas in August 1993 (southeast monsoon) and February 1994 (northwest monsoon) offer an opportunity to compare observations to model output for these periods. The simulation used in these comparisons is the Los Alamos Parallel Ocean Program (POP) 1/6 deg (on average) global model, forced by ECMWF wind stresses for the period 1985 through 1995. The model temperature structure shows discrepancies from the observed profiles, such as between 200 and 1200 dbar where the model temperature is as much as 3°C warmer than the observed temperature. Within the 5°–28°C temperature interval, the model salinity is excessive, often by more than 0.2. The model density, dominated by the temperature profile, is lower than the observed density between 200 and 1200... Abstract The Indonesian Throughflow, weaving through complex topography, drawing water from near the division of the North Pacific and South Pacific water mass fields, represents a severe challenge to modeling efforts. Thermohaline observations within the Indonesian seas in August 1993 (southeast monsoon) and February 1994 (northwest monsoon) offer an opportunity to compare observations to model output for these periods. The simulation used in these comparisons is the Los Alamos Parallel Ocean Program (POP) 1/6 deg (on average) global model, forced by ECMWF wind stresses for the period 1985 through 1995. The model temperature structure shows discrepancies from the observed profiles, such as between 200 and 1200 dbar where the model temperature is as much as 3°C warmer than the observed temperature. Within the 5°–28°C temperature interval, the model salinity is excessive, often by more than 0.2. The model density, dominated by the temperature profile, is lower than the observed density between 200 and 1200...

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